Guyana Chronicle
May 16, 2001

THE homecoming of Guyana's first-ever world champion, Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis, has been delayed by a day because of the flight suspension by Guyana Airways 2000.

Lewis was initially due to arrive today with his entourage bearing the World Boxing Association world welterweight championship and the WBA North American welterweight belts.

A release from the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport yesterday stated that Lewis's arrival has been rescheduled to tomorrow.

The world champion originally was flying in on GA 2000 which has since suspended flights, thus arrangements were made with North American Airways to wing Lewis in. The estimated arrival time is now 15:35 hrs.

With the change in arrival time, some shifts have been made to the programme and the Ministry is advising persons who have been invited to the various functions to note the changes.

The committee will meet the champion at the airport with steelband in attendance, after which a motorcade will make its way to the city. Schoolchildren will line the route.

The man dubbed as the `Albouystown Cyclone' will attend a civic reception at City Hall, hosted by the Mayor and City Council from 18:00 hrs tomorrow. He will also receive the symbolic Key to the City.

On Friday, the champion attends a press briefing at GTV from 09:00 hrs, before attending a homecoming welcome in Albouystown at 16:00 hrs.

On Saturday at 10:00 hrs, Lewis is expected to visit three areas with a view to selecting the house lot promised by the Government. He will also visit several boxing gyms in Albouystown at 12:00 hrs, before attending a Guyana Boxing Board of Control-hosted reception at 19:00 hrs.

A children's walk through the City, from Albouystown to the National Park where children will receive a treat, is planned for Sunday at 08:00 hrs. Lewis will chat with sportsmen and women at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 18:00 hrs.

On Monday the champion pays a courtesy call on the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ms Gail Teixeira, at 14:00 hrs. He then visits the exhibition and fair at the National Museum from 15:30 hrs.

On Tuesday, Lewis pays a courtesy call on President Jagdeo from 09:00 hrs and then travels to Linden to meet that Town's Mayor, Regional Chairman of Region 10 and the Culture, Youth and Sports Officer. More on Lewis's programme in tomorrow's edition).

This will be the first time the champion is returning home since winning the World Boxing Association title, three months ago.

The touring party is called `Team Sixhead Lewis' and includes manager Nelson Fernandes, trainer Angel De Jesus, and co-trainers Edgar `Butch' Sanchez and Quinto Soto.

Nelson told Chronicle Sport: "We are part of Guyana's history. We train Six, we bring him into the ring, thus we are Guyanese working with him.

We want to be part of his homecoming. We want to rejoice with him in his country."

`Sixhead' Lewis gave Guyana the country's first world title with a seventh round knockout over former champion James Page on February 17 in Las Vegas.

For that historic feat, President Bharrat Jagdeo declared a holiday in honour of the world famous boxer and the government pledged a house and land for him.

The champion already successfully defended the WBA welterweight crown on April 28 with a unanimous decision over challenger Larry Marks at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Centre hotel, New York.

`Sixhead' Lewis was the star of the evening, enjoying true celebrity status from the large crowd and probably for the first time, the Golden Arrowhead fluttered conspicuously across television screens around the world.

Now `Six', as he is commonly known in the USA, is a household name and Guyana, a familiar name to many.

The April-28 fight attracted a large turnout of Guyanese of all ethnic backgrounds who in unity, rooted for Guyana's first real superstar.

His homecoming should stir up another massive outpouring of Guyanese because even President Jagdeo was continually finding out when the champion is returning home.

After the home-tour, the entourage returns to New York to begin preparing for Six's next defence.

Lewis will take on Cory Spinks, the son of former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, in Las Vegas on July 21.